Crackpot comicsComic strip artist Garry Trudeau's recent...

the Forum

Comic strip artist Garry Trudeau's recent so-called satire, in which he attacked Sen. Robert Dole and his war injury, was the lowest type of liberal abuse -- low even for Trudeau.

There has never been an occasion in my memory where Senator Dole has used his impairment for political benefit, and I venture to say that many people do not even realize that he shakes hands with his left hand because his right was badly hurt during his wartime service in Italy.

Why do you accept this "crackpot" comic strip artist, and how much longer do you feel your readers should be subjected to such sick humor?

William C. Mank

Glen Arm

Leave it alone

Thank you for giving the people a voice in your newspaper through the Forum.

I would like to use the Forum to voice my opinion of Newt "Good & Rich" and the others in our Congress who keep threatening to use "our" Social Security money to balance the budget.

I recently retired after working 47 years, paying my full share into the Social Security system.

It has always been my impression the money they took out of my check was to be invested and be there for my retirement. If I live to be 100 I will not get back all I've put in, yet Mr. Good & Rich wants to take that away from me -- and the little Medicare will pay toward my health insurance.

Oh, sure, he will get his $130,000 from my tax dollars when he retires -- but he wants to deprive me of my $837 monthly check.

Speaking for senior citizens all over America, I will not sit still and let the rich take away what we have worked so hard all our lives for. And if they think we will, just see what happens if they try.

Yes, we need a balanced budget. None of us want senior citizens who need every penny to live on or any child to go hungry.

What we really need is a Congress that knows our needs and can cut its own spending and wasting of our money to balance the budget.

I bet there's not a congressperson in office today -- or ever -- who himself doesn't spend $837 monthly on partying or some other way to spend the little we get each month.

What we need is for every able-bodied welfare recipient to work. I started working for 50 cents an hour, stayed with same company for 47 years and was making a good living with a lot of overtime -- now it's time for me to slow down and for others to take the work load.

I had to work 60 hours a week for $38,000 a year -- yet a welfare mother with five children gets more than that with housing, medical, food etc., and she pays no taxes, while 35 percent of mine went for some kind of taxes.

To the Congress of the United States, I say, "leave our Social Security alone" or you will pay the consequences. We senior citizens are united on this.

L. B. Duncan

Parkton

Messy medians

The median strips in Baltimore City are kept free of trash (bottles, cans, paper, etc.) in the spring and summer when the grass is being maintained.

However, in the fall and winter, these areas are disgraceful to the neighborhoods close by. Often my neighbors and I organize clean-ups because of how messy it gets.

The question I have for the Schmoke administration is, "What do the city employees do during the off-season that they aren't out picking up trash and maintaining these median strips?"

This is just another classic example of an important thing that falls through the cracks under the current administration.

If you will check the "FBI Uniform Crime Report," it noted that "Since its concealed weapon (CCW) law went into effect in 1987, Florida's homicide rate has dropped 21 percent while the U.S. rate has risen 12 percent."

This statistic clearly shows a decline by anyone's standards.

Criminals should fear honest citizens, not the other way around.

Monte R. Starr

Fallston

Official language

It is essential that all Americans speak, read, write and understand the English language.

Last year, former Gov. William Donald Schaefer vetoed a bill to make English the official language of Maryland. That was a blow to common sense and to our continuing ease of communication in all matters of our society.

This year, the legislature should enact the bill and Gov. Parris Glendening should sign it.

This is one benefit to all taxpayers that would not cost a penny.

Frederick R. Knoop Jr.

Baltimore

Henson fails to monitor NOI guards

In response to the recent front-page article, "HUD finds city in violation on NOI contract," regrettably the only issue in question was the possibility Baltimore may be forced to repay $1 million based on the fact that the Nation of Islam Security Agency was the high bidder by that amount in the competition over which firm would be selected to protect our projects.